BJP dissociates itself from Sangma’s petition plan (Lead)
July 25th, 2012 - 10:36 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) Even as Purno Sangma is preparing to file an election petition against Pranab Mukherjee’s nomination in the presidential poll, the BJP Wednesday dissociated itself from the move.
“Any decision by Mr. Sangma to approach the Supreme Court will be his personal initiative,” said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
“BJP has respectfully welcomed Mukherjee as the president of India and the party and the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) will not be associated with any such step,” Rudy said.
Sangma, who lost the presidential election to Mukherjee, was backed by BJP and several other opposition parties.
Rudy, in a routine party press briefing, said the BJP association with Sangma’s activities ended with the dissolution of the election campaign committee formed for the presidential polls.
BJP’s legal cell head Satya Pal Jain, however, still remains Sangma’s lawyer.
Rudy said if he fought Sangma’s case, it will be “in his personal capacity as a lawyer”.
Jain had Tuesday said the “final decision” on the election petition would be taken by the end of this week.
The statement was made after Sangma and Jain met senior BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Ananth Kumar and S.S. Ahluwalia.
Sources close to Sangma say he is likely to approach the apex court by the end of next week.
Before the election, Team Sangma, as the group backing Purno Sangma came to be known, had raised objection on Mukherjee’s nomination stating that he held an office of profit as chairman of Indian Statistical Institute at the time of the nomination.
They also alleged that a copy of resignation letter submitted by Mukherjee carried a forged signature.
An objection was raised at the time of scrutiny of nomination forms, but was rejected by returning officer. BJP and allies had at that time backed the move.
It had also backed the team’s decision to move to the election commission to ask for rejecting Mukherjee’s nomination.
The election commission had then directed them to approach Supreme Court with an election petition, which could be filed only after the results were declared.
However, the BJP has now done a U-turn.
- Purno Sangma to file election petition Tuesday - Aug 18, 2012
- Sangma to file election petition Tuesday (Lead) - Aug 18, 2012
- BJP dissociates itself from Sangma's petition plan - Jul 25, 2012
- Poll panel rejects Sangma's plea against Pranab (Second Lead) - Jul 10, 2012
- Pranab survives Sangma googly; BJP waves 'fabricated' letter (Intro Roundup) (With Image) - Jul 03, 2012
- Team Sangma to approach poll panel against Pranab's nomination (Lead) - Jul 05, 2012
- Pranab survives Sangma googly; BJP waves 'fabricated' letter (Roundup) (With images) - Jul 03, 2012
- Team Sangma gives poll panel proof against Mukherjee - Jul 09, 2012
- Poll panel rejects Sangma's plea against Pranab (Lead) - Jul 10, 2012
- Can't forge signature, says Pranab; Team Sangma to move court (Lead) - Jul 05, 2012
- 'Beyond my powers to probe Mukherjee's signature' - Jul 11, 2012
- Sangma gives proof against Mukherjee, centre debunks it (Lead) - Jul 10, 2012
- Can't forge signature, says Pranab; Team Sangma to move court (Second Lead) - Jul 05, 2012
- Sangma's team keeps option of moving apex court open - Jul 22, 2012
- Give details to Sangma, says poll panel on Pranab order (Lead) - Jul 05, 2012
Tags: ahluwalia, ananth kumar, apex court, bjp leaders, campaign committee, copy of resignation letter, election petition, election team, indian statistical institute, national democratic alliance, nomination forms, opposition parties, personal capacity, personal initiative, pranab mukherjee, president of india, presidential poll, presidential polls, rajiv pratap, returning officer